From China: “Given the United States’ status as the world’s largest economy and the issuer of the dominant international reserve currency, such political brinksmanship in Washington is dangerously irresponsible.”

When both sides are willing to posture and play chicken with the world’s economy, one wonders what might serve as the encore in this paltry display of political theatre.

But what else can we expect when both parties are becoming increasingly aligned behind a shared agenda of systematically stripping the population of freedom while simultaneously lifting restrictions on big business and protecting the interests of the super rich.

The American people need a change, as do the rest of us. It’s time for a global system that reflects the will of the people, and for every nation’s government to promote policies that serve the public interest.

It’s got to be tough being President. Especially when your agenda of perpetuating the status quo strays so far from the platform of change that got you elected.

But it’s not Obama’s fault. He’s just one guy, and no matter how liberal he might be at heart, the game is rigged against him. The Left is consistently losing ground to the Right, because the Right tends to have the money needed to buy political clout.

The result is kind of like this cartoon:

The political system in the US, and to a greater extent the entire world, is structured to give people the illusion of choice, when the most important decisions are made in without consulting, or often in opposition to, the voice of the people.

So what hope is there? Well, if all the leading political parties are corrupted, then the solution lies outside the mainstream democratic channels. And what does this mean, exactly?

It means that the change we need will have to come from us, from the regular people. We can’t wait for elected officials to save us, because they’re already lost. It is up to you and me and everyone who wants a brighter future to do whatever it takes to make it happen.

And right now, it seems the establishment could use a good shaking up. It is time for elected officials to be held accountable, and for governments to maintain a healthy dose of fear-based respect for the general population.

I was planning to write another piece about how Democrats and Republicans both toe the same line for many key issues, be it armed conflict, pro-corporatist legislation, or a widening of the gap between the super-rich and everyone else.

The post would have highlighted how comparatively trivial issues, like same-sex marriage, illegal immigration, or Anthony Weiner’s penis, dominate the political sphere while actually significantly issues, like reforming Wall St. or slashing defense spending, remain mostly untouched by both politicians and the mainstream media alike.

But rather than write this piece, which I’m sure would have been timely and eloquent, I found the following picture which sums up what I’m trying to say quite nicely. So we’ll go with that instead: